Every year the Jakes Gerwel Foundation presents the Jakes Gerwel Commemoration Lecture in honour of Professor Gerwel – renowned educator, liberator, public servant, thinker, writer, editor, patron of the arts, businessperson and family man. This year, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder and head of Gift of the Givers, delivered a moving virtual lecture in which he spoke of how spirituality and faith can breach insurmountable obstacles.
Besides the lecture, the Jakes Gerwel Foundation (JGF) also celebrated its 10th anniversary at an event which was held at Youngblood Africa Gallery in Bree Street, Cape Town. The foundation was formed by Mrs Phoebé Gerwel a year after her husband’s passing on 28 November 2012.
Among the highlights of the evening was the announcement that Rapport columnist, playwright, screenwriter and author of Misfit and Kinnes, Chase Rhys, is the first recipient of the JGF New York Fellowship in partnership with Columbia University School of the Arts and The New School.
Music by Zolani Mahola (the One Who Sings) and the SU Jazz Trio drew standing ovations. In 2022 Zolani joined Frazer Barry to mentor the popular JGF mentorship for songwriters at the Foundation’s headquarters Paulet House in KwaNojoli (Somerset East) in the Eastern Cape.
Seen at Youngblood Africa last Thursday were:
Mrs Phoebé Gerwel, the founder of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation, who has made dreams come true for 136 writers and 14 mentors hosted at Paulet House, thus far.
Chairman of the JGF board of trustees, Professor Brian Figaji, with Miché van Wyk (a mentee in the JGF/NATi Jong Sterre 2023 group) and Lee-Ann van Rooi, mentor to the JGF/NATi Jong Sterre mentorship programme for emerging playwrights.
JGF executive director Theo Kemp and Audrey Jantjies, author of As die katjiepiering blom. Audrey was a participant in the JGF/NB Publishers mentorship for emerging writers in 2020.
Left: Kirby van der Merwe, author of Eugene, the 2023 winner of the Eugène Marais Prize, the kykNET-Rapport Prize and the Jan Rabie-Rapport Prize. Kirby was in the 2019 JGF/PEN Afrikaans residency. Here he is with Niel le Roux, Laurie Gaum, Shihaam Domingo and Theo Kemp.
Zolani Mahola – the One Who Sings. In 2022, Zolani joined Frazer Barry to mentor the popular JGF mentorship for songwriters.
MC for the evening: Lebo Mazibuko, author of Bantu Knots. Lebo was a participant in the JGF/NB Publishers mentorship for emerging writers in 2020.
Centre of the picture: Narrative therapist Dr Thérèse Hulme – author of My Word! Ideas For Creating A Writing Culture In The Classroom / Praat jy! Idees vir die skep van ’n skryfkultuur in die klas. She is the facilitator of the JGF Yoh! Poetry project for learners at Grassy Park High School, where Professor Gerwel taught in the early 1970s.
Nompumelelo Sokoyi is the facilitator of the Bloukrans Book Project, a JGF literacy outreach project serving 20 primary schools in Blue Crane Municipality in the Eastern Cape. With her is Cara Rossouw, a mentee in the JGF/NATi Jong Sterre 2023 group.
The first recipient of the JGF New York Fellowship in partnership with Columbia University School of the Arts and The New School, Chase Rhys, with Veronique Jephtas, award-winning playwright and actress of My Kroon se krank and author of Soe rond ommie bos. Chase was a participant in the JGF/Passa Porta Dialogue for writers from the Low Countries and South Africa in 2019. Veronique was part of the PEN Afrikaans residency in 2020.
Mphuthumi Ntabeni, author of the award-winning novel The Broken River Tent and The Wanderers, with Nosipho Ngcukaitobi. Mphuthumi was in the JGF / PEN Afrikaans / PEN South Africa / PEN Nederland residency in 2022.
Kwela Books Publisher (NB Publishers) Stevlyn Vermeulen is the publisher of many of the books worked on at Paulet House. She is also the publisher of both Chase Rhys’ books, Misfit and Kinnes.
Poet, short story writer and motivational speaker Theolla Langenhoven with Dr Hendrik Theys, the recently appointed chairman of the Afrikaanse Taalraad. Theolla was a mentee in the 2020 JGF/LitNet Kommadagga Workshop for short story writers.
English teacher, poet, playwright, short story writer and author Zubayr Charles with poet, short story writer, author and writing facilitator Gaireyah Fredericks. Zubayr was a mentee in the 2020 JGF/LitNet Kommadagga Workshop for short story writers. Gaireyah was in the 2023 JGF/PEN Afrikaans / PEN South Africa / PEN Germany / PEN Malawi residency.
Author Susan Meiring with her daughter Tharwa Adelaide Martin. Susan was a mentee in the 2023 JGF/LitNet/Huisgenoot Kommadagga Workshop for short story writers.
Lucrecia Jacobs, playwright and actor Curtley Pitt, Earl September and Curtis Bailey. Curtley was a mentee in the NATi Jong Sterre 2022 group.
Poet / content writer Paul Kammies and UCT English lecturer and author Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese. She was the winner of the 2018 Ingrid Jonker Prize for poetry for her collection Loud and Yellow Laughter. Sindiswa was a participant in the JGF/Passa Porta Dialogue for writers from the Low Countries and South Africa 2022 and Paul was in the JGF/Passa Porta 2023 group.
Songwriters/musicians Carlo Fortune and Kaecee Pheiffer. Both were participants in the 2022 JGF mentorship for songwriters with mentors Frazer Barry and Zolani Mahola. (Picture supplied)
SU Jazz Trio: Melisizwe Plaatjie, Dillon Cornelius and Stuart Martin
Lee-Ann van Rooi and Veronique Jephtas with a copy of Dr Imtiaz Sooliman’s biography, written by Shafiq Morton
Photographer: Jeremeo le Cordeur
Jeremeo le Cordeur, gebore en getoë in Wellington in die Wes-Kaap, het ’n kreatiewe siel. Sedert hy aan City Varsity se Skool vir Media en Skeppende Kuns gegradueer het, werk Le Cordeur as kunsfotograaf en neem hy verskillende rolle in die teaterwêreld op. Le Cordeur is die entrepreneur agter Vulture Productions, ’n produksie- en ontwerpplatform vir kreatiewe en oorspronklike Suid-Afrikaanse teaterstukke. As vervaardiger en regisseur het Le Cordeur reeds vele suksesvolle teaterproduksies gelewer. In 2014 behartig hy die regie van Tannie Dora goes bos, Warren Meyer se skreeusnaakse spannings- en moorddrama wat tydens die Kunstekaap se agste Kunstefees vir Vrouemenslikheid opgevoer is. In 2019 is hy die regisseur van Mama, die karakterstuk waaraan hy met Chenal Kock meegewerk het. In dieselfde jaar sien sy twee eenmanstukke Jerry, an unconventional hero en Dude, wa’s my bakkie? die lig. In 2019 ontvang hy die NATi Jong Sterre-toekenning by die Suidoosterfees.
